


At the edge of the universe

by thevalesofanduin



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst and Feels, Drama & Romance, F/M, This happens before TFA
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 08:41:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14398416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thevalesofanduin/pseuds/thevalesofanduin
Summary: Sometimes, people aren’t heroic or brave.Sometimes, people just try to get by. They make their living, they try to forget their past on a planet so far at the edge of the Outer Rim that some days it feels as if the universe itself has forgotten about it.Which is just fine, because sometimes people just want their mundane lives with their mundane problems. Ilia Shulie definitely prefers her life calm and simple, the normality hiding a heartache she tries so hard to ignore.But then an X-wing comes falling from the sky and, well, there is absolutely nothing mundane about that.





	At the edge of the universe

**Author's Note:**

> The first (sort, introductory) chapter of my baby! This project has become my child, with Poe and Ilia and their angsty, dramatic story full of adventure and (attempted) romance… Hope you’re all enjoy it and I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Bespin is something else.

Impressive to say the least, how Cloud City rests, suspended kilometers above the actual earth, between the clouds.

Poe will freely admit that the mere sight of it takes his breath away.

He will also admit that he is surprised to find Bespin’s Baron Administrator, Lando Calrissian, walking at the head of the small welcoming party waiting for him. With his light blue cape fluttering behind him on the wind, the man looks as grand as the stories Poe has heard about him.

He’s only slightly intimidated, although _that_ is something he’ll never admit.

“Commander Dameron,” Lando greets when Poe climbs out of his X-wing, a charming smile on Lando’s lips as he waves his hands in a grand, welcoming gesture. “Welcome to Bespin.”

And that’s the start of Poe’s short stay at Cloud City.

However short it may be, it doesn’t take away the fact that a three day stay is too long for a mere info pick-up and it’s obvious Leia planned for this to be leisure as well as work. Poe doesn’t mind in the least, enjoying all that Cloud City has to offer with Lando as a gracious host that is so obviously proud of his city.

On his last night, Lando takes him to one of the upper viewing decks to watch the sunset.

It is not, however, the sun that catches Poe’s attention.

It is the wind, that on top of the city blows wild and free.

It makes Lando’s cape almost fly behind him, teases Poe’s curls, almost cuts his skin and tugs at his clothes.

“It’s amazing, the freedom of the wind.” Poe laughs and stretches his arms, thinking that if he were to lean back now the wind would keep him up.

Lando’s chuckle is affectionate and the words he speaks next soft, almost carried away by the wind. “That’s what Luke used to say.”

Poe turns to Lando, who is standing at the balustrade watching the sun set. “Luke Skywalker? You knew him?” he asks, curious.

“Yes,” Lando replies, his tone wistful and although the smile on his lips doesn’t waver his eyes speak a story of loss. “But that seems a lifetime ago now,” he says and for a moment, he seems to be lost in memories that tug at his lips and set a frown on his face.

Poe doesn’t ask. Knows a private moment when he sees one and turns his eyes away from where Lando’s hands are clenched around the railing.

“Alas, the past is the past and as such it shall remain.” Lando sighs then, and swivels around to face Poe with a charismatic and friendly smile on his lips. “If anything, Luke taught me how to live in the moment because in the end, you never know when it’s gone.”

They’re kind words, good advice.

Yet as silence settles over them Poe can’t help but think they somehow leave a bitter taste in his mouth.

Make him wonder how many moments he might’ve missed in life.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [Tumblr](http://thevalesofanduin.tumblr.com/) <3


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